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A review by cloaknquill
Link by Link: An Anthology of Haunted Holidays by Meg Dailey
4.0
“The room grew chillier, and the scent of winter frost permeated the air” (30).
"Link by Link: An Anthology of Haunted Holidays" is a nine story collection inspired by aspects in “A Christmas Carol'' by Charles Dickens. The spiritual entity/entities in many of the stories act as a guide for the protagonists. Many who are pursuing some type of art form (miming, theatre, music etc) or a romantic endeavor.
“None of us are perfect, but you have a wonderful organ tucked away inside that ribcage of yours” (48).
Each of the nine stories explores variations on holiday spirits and releasing the chains we carry/create. Although influenced by one particular work, each author brings a different element that allows them to transform that original story. “Things are constantly changing, updating, moving on-and these stories will move with you, if you let them” (Foreword). While the majority of the stories were incredibly creative and well written, Leslie Rush’s “Yesterday’s News” stood out to me the most. My anticipation for this anthology was for it to be heavy on the hauntings and Rush delivered that for me by instilling imminent danger into the plot. It created a parallel with the past and future in a more modern atmosphere. Abbie and Matt take a ghost tour through Zia’s historical square in hopes of finding evidence of paranormal activity. While sneaking into 47 Orchard Street, the oldest building in the square, Abbie encounters a little girl who will reveal the home's tragic past and Abbie’s tragic future.
“She worried that in her short life, she might have begun her own iron links...” (361).
I love the play on the title: “Link by Link”. Not only does it connect to Marley’s chains and the characters own chains each story may carry, it correlates to the format. In an anthology each work that precedes the next needs to have some kind of bond… or in this case a link. For the most part, the connections between each story were smooth and well choreographed. The only formatting issue I had was that the stories felt individually edited then linked together, as opposed to edited as a whole.
“Only at night, when I was tossing and turning from yet another bout of insomnia, or when I was alone back-stage with only dim light and my thoughts for company, did I allow myself to regret” (129).
With the spirits acting more as guides than horrific creatures, I recommend to most young and adult readers. This anthology wraps you up in a fuzzy blanket while serving the reader a cup of warm tea. It’s a holiday treat for anyone looking for stories that are heartfelt, romantic, and sweet.
“Wear the obsidian to show him his soul. Hang the mistletoe to freeze him in place” (444)..
Thank you to Midnight Tide Publishing, BookSirens, and all contributors for providing me with an ARC for an honest review.
"Link by Link: An Anthology of Haunted Holidays" is a nine story collection inspired by aspects in “A Christmas Carol'' by Charles Dickens. The spiritual entity/entities in many of the stories act as a guide for the protagonists. Many who are pursuing some type of art form (miming, theatre, music etc) or a romantic endeavor.
“None of us are perfect, but you have a wonderful organ tucked away inside that ribcage of yours” (48).
Each of the nine stories explores variations on holiday spirits and releasing the chains we carry/create. Although influenced by one particular work, each author brings a different element that allows them to transform that original story. “Things are constantly changing, updating, moving on-and these stories will move with you, if you let them” (Foreword). While the majority of the stories were incredibly creative and well written, Leslie Rush’s “Yesterday’s News” stood out to me the most. My anticipation for this anthology was for it to be heavy on the hauntings and Rush delivered that for me by instilling imminent danger into the plot. It created a parallel with the past and future in a more modern atmosphere. Abbie and Matt take a ghost tour through Zia’s historical square in hopes of finding evidence of paranormal activity. While sneaking into 47 Orchard Street, the oldest building in the square, Abbie encounters a little girl who will reveal the home's tragic past and Abbie’s tragic future.
“She worried that in her short life, she might have begun her own iron links...” (361).
I love the play on the title: “Link by Link”. Not only does it connect to Marley’s chains and the characters own chains each story may carry, it correlates to the format. In an anthology each work that precedes the next needs to have some kind of bond… or in this case a link. For the most part, the connections between each story were smooth and well choreographed. The only formatting issue I had was that the stories felt individually edited then linked together, as opposed to edited as a whole.
“Only at night, when I was tossing and turning from yet another bout of insomnia, or when I was alone back-stage with only dim light and my thoughts for company, did I allow myself to regret” (129).
With the spirits acting more as guides than horrific creatures, I recommend to most young and adult readers. This anthology wraps you up in a fuzzy blanket while serving the reader a cup of warm tea. It’s a holiday treat for anyone looking for stories that are heartfelt, romantic, and sweet.
“Wear the obsidian to show him his soul. Hang the mistletoe to freeze him in place” (444)..
Thank you to Midnight Tide Publishing, BookSirens, and all contributors for providing me with an ARC for an honest review.